AggieYell.com's look at the current state of the 2024 Texas A&M football team after the conclusion of spring practice and the closing of the transfer portal continues with the defensive line.
Participating players
Sophomore DJ Hicks (13 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack in 11 games in 2023)
Senior Shemar Stewart (11 tackles, 2 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 TD in 13 games)
Junior Malick Sylla (14 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack in 13 games)
Redshirt junior Albert Regis (15 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 sack in 12 games)
Sophomore Rylan Kennedy (6 tackles in 11 games)
Redshirt freshman Samu Taumanupepe (no stats in 3 games)
Redshirt freshman Jadon Scarlett (no stats in 1 games)
Junior Nic Scourton (50 tackles, 15 TFL, 10 sacks in 12 games at Purdue; All-B1G selection)
Junior Cashius Howell (28 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 9.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble in 13 games at Bowling Green)
Senior Rodas Johnson (19 tackles, 3 TFL, .5 sacks in 12 games for Wisconsin)
True freshman Solomon Williams
True freshman Kendall Jackson
Transfers out after spring practice
None.
Summer arrivals
Injuries
Senior Shemar Turner (33 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 6 sacks, 2 forced fumbles; second-team All-SEC) was out the entire spring.
Redshirt sophomore Gabe Dindy (3 tackles, 2 TFL, .5 sacks in 5 games) missed nearly the entire spring.
Junior Enai White (3 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack in 5 games) missed the entire spring.
Positives
Scourton, who was A&M's bigtime acquisition through the transfer portal, proved he was 100% legit this spring with a tremendous performance. He could be an elite defensive end under coach Mike Elko.
Stewart, who started to show signs of life last season, had an excellent spring and installed himself as the starter opposite Scourton.
Hicks continued his maturation and looks likely to start in the middle next to Turner.
Johnson, who started all 12 games for Wisconsin last year, came and looked like he is ready to be a solid member of the interior defensive line rotation.
Howell, who was more of a standup blitzer or linebacker at Bowling Green, looked comfortable playing with his hand in the dirt.
The lack of size at defensive end. After Scourton (280) and Stewart (285), A&M's ends group consists of a lot of thin, fast players. Scarlett is listed at 285, then it's a pair of freshmen, Jackson (260) and Williams (250) that weigh enough to hold up against the run. That's why A&M went out and added Celiscar, who played for UCF last season and racked up 47 tackles and 4 tackles for loss. He's listed at 6-foot-4 and 265 pounds.
The interior should be strong, but it depends on Turner returning to health, Hicks continuing to improve and Dindy doing both. That would at least give the Aggies five defensive tackles it can rely on. But, until it actually happens, depth should be a concern.
Analysis
With the addition of Scourton, Howell, Celiscar and Johnson, this could be the nastiest defensive line in the SEC. Scourton looked absolutely awesome in the spring game and Stewart wasn't far behind him. Mike Elko has said repeatedly that those two constitute the best duo of defensive ends A&M has seen in a long time -- and Myles Garrett and Daeshon Hall haven't been gone all that long. Adding Celiscar, a solid veteran, and Howell, another quality pass rusher, makes the group even stronger.
If Turner is healthy, he and Hicks could create a formidable duo inside. Johnson and Regis can definitely fill the void for a few series at a time, and Dindy could be really good if he can stay on the field consistently.
The only thing that can stop this group from being extremely good are injuries. If Turner comes back and is in 2023 form, all the pieces are there.
Projected depth chart
DE: Scourton/Celiscar
NT: Hicks/Regis
DT: Turner/Johnson
DE: Stewart/Howell
